FDLR’S RESPONSE TO THE STATEMENT OF UN SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT.

In response to the statement by the President of UN Security Council on DRC (S/PRST/2013/17), dated 14th November 2013, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) would love to both highlight and bring the following points unto the attention of the UN – International community in general and of the UN Security Council in particular:

The UN Security Council, through its relevant officials, had always been having the tendencies of being biased, unfair and insensitive towards Rwandan nationals, who happened to had been involved with the Rwandan former Hutu – dominated government, which was ousted by RPF /KAGAME/ Tutsi – dominated government since July 1994 up to date.

The UN Security Council, through its relevant officials, has not been sparing any effort endeavouring to both undermine and abort any initiative undertaken by FDLR with intention to seek and find a pacific and negotiated long – lasting political solution to the complex, problematic and challenging Rwandan political problem, rooted in “political power sharing” issues, between the two main Rwandan rival ethnic groups, namely TUTSIs and HUTUs.

With regard to the fragile security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN Security Council has been always failing to acknowledge the real issue at stake as to address it. The UN Security Council would rather take advantage of its diplomatic and strategic international position and twist the whole picture as it is manipulated by RPF/KAGAME’s Government, and would have FDLR blamed for all ills and misfortunes which had befallen the Congolese peoples, not only in the eastern DRC, but on the whole DRC territory as well.

A. RETROSPECTION INTO THE WHOLE MATTER OF INSTABILITY OF THE EASTERN DRC

While both RPF / KAGAME and UN Security Council had been advocating war, FDLR has been in time and out of time, calling on both the international community and the RPF/KAGAME’s government, as it has been suggesting and advocating pacific – negotiated political solution, up to date, via an inter – Rwandan highly – inclusive diplomatic dialogue, involving RPF/KAGAME’s government with the Rwandan armed and non – armed opposition.

FDLR is hereby warning the UN Security Council in particular and the UN – International community in general that any attempt of using armed confrontations, with intention to annihilate FDLR is more likely to fail, as such unwise actions would be not only directed towards FDLR members and civilians Rwandan refugees , who have been abandoned to themselves for ages within the dense forests of eastern DRC, but also to the whole Rwandan community, whether inside Rwanda or outside Rwanda; whose members are the majority in numbers, although the political minority, and as they are either directly or indirectly sympathising with FDLR, are longing for the real liberation of Rwanda and its people, who have been kept captive by and confined within RPF/KAGAME dictatorial and anarchy system, since July 1994 up to date.

Hence FDLR is the real representative of the marginalised Rwandan people’s interests, and since it is the only Rwandan armed – political opposition organisation, which has been advocating pacific, political – negotiated solution to the Rwandan political problem, FDLR is currently being acknowledged by most of Rwandans as “Freedom fighters” and not “terrorists” or “criminals”.

Therefore, attacking FDLR with intention to annihilate it, instead of supporting His Excellency President KIKWETE [Tanzanian President]’s suggestion as to what President KAGAME must negotiate with FDLR, would be actually attacking Rwandan people, who are trying to seek means and ways for a genuine social reconciliation, towards a genuine national unity, (as a “Rwandan Tri – Une Nation”, united in our diversity as HUTUs, TWAs and TUTSIs). Hence using any military forces against FDLR with intention to annihilate them would be identical to forcing Rwandan peoples back – down to square one, in all aspects of their social and political endeavours as to objectively sort out, and once for all, the various perpetuating conflicts, which have been tearing the Rwandan social fabric apart for the worse, mostly since the 1990s up to date.

And without any shadow of doubt, should FDLR be attacked by any troops operating in DRC under UN mandate, or by RPF/ Kagame /Rwandan troops (so – called Rwandan Defence Forces- RDF ) or by any troops involved with FARDC (DRC ‘s armed forces), the outcomes there of would be likely more damaging and destructive , therefore yielding more harm than help.

While the whole world in general and the Rwandan people in particular had been awaiting to learn that UN Security Council had eventually come back to its senses, as to back up Tanzanian President (Mr J. KIKWETE) ’s suggestion of immediate and unconditional political dialogue between RPF/KAGAME and his political non – armed and armed opposition, more particularly FDLR; it was actually with great sorrow and heartfelt disappointment that FDLR has received the UN Security Council President’s statement herein in question, labelling FDLR as “a group under UN sanctions whose leaders and members include perpetrators of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and have continued to promote and commit ethnically – based and other killings in Rwanda and the DRC…”. The statement “stresses the importance of permanently addressing this threat”; and as further maintained by same sources, “The Security Council stresses the importance of neutralizing the FDLR…in line with resolution 2098 (2013)”.

As FDLR believes that the time to seek and find a permanent solution to the Rwandan political problem, thus contributing to the long lasting stabilisation on both peaceful environment and peaceful – conducive living conditions in both Rwanda and the eastern DRC has come, and that time is right now or never: not by armed conflicts, but by diplomatic ways and means (talks), namely via a highly inclusive inter – Rwandan political dialogue, between RPF/KAGAME and his armed and non – armed political opposition;

FDLR deemed it necessary to make it once more louder and clearer , that the only objective and fruitful way of stabilising the African Great Lakes Region is having all the Rwandan refugees currently hosted in DRC , back home through voluntary repatriation, which can only be achieved through a political dialogue between RPF/KAGAME government and FDLR. Any attempt to annihilate FDLR by means of armed confrontations have never been a good option in the past and obviously will not be one neither in the present time nor in the nearest future.